History

1988–2000: Founding and company beginnings

After coming across the Vienna virus in 1988, researcher Pavel Baudiš of Prague’s Mathematical Machines Research Institute set to writing a program that would be able to successfully remove it. He then shared the program with his colleague, Eduard Kučera, and later that year the pair started ALWIL Software, which released the first Avast antivirus. Because of restrictions on forming a company in then-Czechoslovakia, ALWIL Software was founded as a cooperative. The Velvet Revolution, however, brought with it the introduction of the free market. In 1991 Baudiš and Kučera were able to register ALWIL Software as a joint-partnership company.[6]

Current COO and former CTO Ondrej Vlček joined ALWIL in 1995 as a student at the Czech Technical University[7] and wrote the company’s first antivirus for Windows 95.[8] The following year, Avast antivirus was one of the first three antivirus programs worldwide to win Virus Bulletin’s VB100 awards in all testing categories.

In 1997, ALWIL Software licensed the Avast antivirus engine to McAfee for use in its own line of McAfee VirusScan antivirus products.[6] Within the next seven years, the company reached the 1 million user mark for its Avast product, following the launch of a free antivirus solution for home (non-commercial) use in 2001.

2001–2015: Avast Free Antivirus and global growth

Avast Software logo used until 2016

ALWIL partnered with SanDisk in 2005, leading to language localization for all of SanDisk’s markets. In 2006, Avast reached 10 million users by the beginning and ended the year with 20 million; it also swept the SC Awards categories of Best Antivirus,[9] Anti-Malware (European) and Readers’ Choice (USA). The following year, ALWIL Software became a joint-stock company, and the number of registered Avast users reached 40 million, despite the company having just 38 employees. By 2009, there were more than 100 million users [10] and 100 employees; Vincent Steckler, formerly of Symantec, also joined ALWIL as CEO that year.

ALWIL Software changed its legal name to AVAST Software in 2010, and Summit Partners invested $100 million for a minority share of the company.[11] Over the next two years, Avast launched its Business Protection line and Avast Free Mobile Security, which became the best-rated security app on Google Play. In 2012, Avast Free Antivirus became the most-downloaded software on Download.com.

As of 2013, more than 200 million PCs, Macs and Android device users were protected with Avast programs. AVAST Software acquired the German company Secure.Me[12] and the U.S.-based start-up Jumpshot[13] that same year and was awarded "Best Employer 2013" for the Czech Republic in the category of large companies.[14] This was also the year that the Avast 2014 series, Avast SecureLine VPN, and Avast GrimeFighter were launched. In February 2014, CVC Capital Partners signed a binding agreement for a large-scale investment in Avast. Valuing the company at $1 billion, the investment was set to position CVC alongside Summit Partners and founders Baudiš and Kučera as Avast's shareholders.[15]

In July 2014, Avast released data about a study carried out on 20 used Android smartphones in regards to data security, during which it was discovered that Android's factory reset functionality did not delete all of the data from used phones; Avast found that it was able to retrieve 40,000 photos from used smartphones; news of this discovery made international headlines.[16] Avast then created a product called Avast Anti-Theft, which is able to wipe and overwrite all data from a phone.

That same month, Avast acquired a Czech-based mobile app company called Inmite, which has developed apps for mobile banking, mobile television, several applications for Google Glass, and a car-buying app for Škoda Auto.[17]

In October 2014 it was claimed[18] that since around December 2013, Avast had included its own shopping recommendation system, SafePrice, in its Online Security browser extension and had enabled it by default. The claims were rebutted[19] point-by-point in an Avast Community forum post made by Ondrej Vlcek, Avast's Chief Operating Officer in response to the article.

2016–present: Acquisition of AVG Technologies

Avast announced on July 7, 2016, that it had reached an agreement to purchase AVG Technologies for $1.3 billion.[20] In September 2016, Avast acquired a majority stake of AVG and both operate as a single company since October 3, 2016. The company continues to offer both the AVG and Avast branded products for the foreseeable future.[5] Following the acquisition, Avast had 400 million users and 40 percent of the consumer computer market outside of China. According to Reuters, Avast would de-list AVG shares and offer its own shares in the future.[3]

Products

Avast programs are only available to internet-connected devices, and are available in 45 languages. The Avast product range includes the following:[21]

Avast Pro Antivirus – For home use. Includes all features of the Free version, with the addition of SafeZone Browser, Secure DNS, and Sandbox. Does not require registration, but does require a license or activation code.

Avast Internet Security – Includes all the features of Pro, with the addition of a silent firewall and antispam. Does not need registration, but does require a license or activation code.

Avast Premier – Includes all the features of Internet Security, with the addition of a data shredder, an "AccessAnywhere" service, and automatic software updater (for programs such as Google Chrome). Does not require registration, but does require a license or activation code.

Avast Cleanup - storage cleaning tool, that helps users to make more space on their mobile devices. Avast provides both free version funded by ads and PRO version with no ads and with a few bonus features.

Avast SecureLine – proprietary VPN

Avast Wi-Fi Finder

Avast Passwords

iOS products

Avast Passwords

Avast SecureLine – Proprietary VPN for iPhone and iPad

Avast SecureMe – Free VPN for WiFi

Avast Wi-Fi Finder

Avast Photo Space – Cloud Photo Storage

Avast Passwords

Business products

Avast for Business – Free for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). It is a cross-platform solution that includes antivirus protection, Web threat scanning and integrated browser protection, and a cloud management console.[22]

Avast received an Advanced rating in the Real-World Protection Test conducted August to November 2014.[28]

Avast received an Advanced rating in the Performance Test conducted October 2014.[29]

The Performance Test evaluates the impact of antivirus software on system performance compared to other Internet security products. It does not tell about the effectiveness of the protection and product provides. The test is performed on an up-to-date Windows 8.1 64-bit system. The awards are based on the observed test results and range from Advanced Plus, Advanced, Standard, and Tested.[30]